


Tangled up

by omfg_otp



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Tangled (2010), The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M, Nico is Flynn, Nico is human for purposes of the plot, Tangled AU, Will is Rapunzel, solangelo, will has healing powers, will has light powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-17 01:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3510275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omfg_otp/pseuds/omfg_otp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will has been trapped in a tower all his life because of the magic he possesses, but he dreams of a freedom he believes will never come. Until a mysterious stranger seeks refuge from him, in exchange for an adventure into the world outside. </p><p>Tangled AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. When Will my life begin? - Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have been craving a Tangled AU for months, so I decided to write one. Enjoy!
> 
> I'm gonna go ahead and assume that you all know the story of Tangled, with the flower and stuff, so I won't be explaining that bit. It's not really relevant to Will and Nico anyway.

Will sat on the window ledge, staring out at the forest that stretched as far as the eye could see, even from his vantage point from the tall tower that had been his home since before he could remember.

 

 _What was out there?_ He wondered, _What lay beyond the acres of forest and wildlife?_

 

This was quite a common thing for Will to do. After painting, and playing instruments, and baking, and reading, and everything else he thought of to keep himself occupied, Will always found time in the day to sit and contemplate the concept of freedom, and that one day, he might get to have it for himself. You see, Will had plans. He dreamed of one day, visiting all corners of the earth, having adventures, just like the characters in his books.

 

Sighing, he turned away, about to climb back into his tower, when he saw something from the corner of his eye. A bush near the bottom of his tower was rustling. He strained his eyes, spotting a figure crouching on the ground.

 

He quickly climbed through the window, hiding himself behind a curtain, so he wouldn't be seen. Peaking out, he saw the stranger stand, and scurry towards the base of the tower. Will's eyes widened. This had never happened before. What was he supposed to do?

 

He peaked out again, curious as to what this stranger planned on doing next. The tower was way too dangerous to climb, or Will would've attempted it before. The stranger seemed to come to the same conclusion after studying the wall for a second. There was a door at the bottom of the tower that his captors used, but they always locked it. The stranger tried opening it, with no success. Will wasn't surprised. If there was a way in or out of this place, Will was sure he would have found it by now.

 

But the stranger still hadn't left. In fact, it looked as if he was searching for something in his pockets. Will leaned over the ledge a bit more, trying to see what the stranger was doing. He seemed to have found what he was looking for, and he was now fiddling with the door, shooting glances over his shoulder every few seconds.

 

It was at this point Will began to worry. Who was this person, this stranger? What was he running from? How did he expect to get through a locked door? And what would he do to Will if he some how managed to gain entry?

 

It seemed as if Will would have the answer to the last question sooner than he'd hoped, as the stranger had somehow unlocked the door, and had disappeared inside.

 

Will backed away from the window, quickly looking around. Should he hide or should he fight? Of course, there were no weapons in his tower, so he decided to climb into the rafters of the roof that was covered in darkness, so he wouldn't be seen. Just before he began climbing, he spotted a frying pan, and thought it may be useful as a weapon. He grabbed it, continuing his climb into the shadows.

 

Not a second had past since Will had settled in his hiding spot when the stranger ran up the steps on the far side of the room. He was panting slightly, having run up all those stairs, and leaned against the wall to catch his breath.

 

This was the first time Will could have a good look at him. The first thing that came to mind was dark. Dark eyes, dark clothes and dark hair. His skin however was a deep contrast, and looked rather pale. Will guessed the boy was around his age, perhaps younger.

 

The boy glanced around after catching his breath, and quickly crossed to the window, peaking out just as Will had done moments earlier. He stood there, not moving for roughly ten minutes, and Will started to feel quiet restless. This boy obviously wasn't here to kidnap him, and Will was pretty sure he could knock him out with the frying pan if he wasn't friendly.

 

He quietly slipped down from the roof, dropped to the ground in the middle of the room, and cleared his throat. The boy instantly jumped and spun around, but didn't say anything.

 

“Is there something I can help you with?” Will asked dryly, as if this sort of thing happened a lot. Which it most definitely didn't. The boy's cheeks reddened slightly, looking down at the pan that was still in Will's hands.

 

“Sorry....um. I didn't mean to break in, it's just...” He glanced out of the window again, nervously.

 

“Who are you running from?” Will could hardly contain his curiosity. The boy frowned slightly at the question.

 

“It doesn't matter”

 

“Well then I guess it won't matter if I kick you out then, will it?” He tried to sound threatening, but didn't quite manage it. The boy smirked.

 

“Guess not, but I'd rather stay.” He replied an Will almost blushed. Almost. There was something strangely enchanting about this stranger. Probably to do with the fact he's the first person Will had ever met.

 

“In that case, maybe you could tell me you name?”

 

“Nico” He said, and started wondering around the room, looking at different paintings and books, here and there.

 

“I'm Will”

 


	2. When Will my life begin? - Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've sort of formed a story line in my head, and I've added Jason and Percy in. Should I add more demi-gods? Should I add some Jercy? I DON'T KNOW. You guys decide for me please. What do you want to see?

Nico and Will talked for a while, about nothing in particular. Will couldn't help asking about what Nico had seen of the world. He learned of the Kingdom not far away, and the ocean that lay beyond that. He learned of the people of the land, who were ruled by a righteous king. He learned of the normalcy of everyday life, getting up in the morning, going to work, speaking to other people. Things that Will had never experienced before.

 

“How long have you been up here?” Nico asked, after having to explain what the kings guard was, and how they defended the kingdom.

 

Will sighed, and wondered if he should tell the truth about himself to this stranger. But Nico wasn't a stranger, not anymore. Perhaps he should tell half the truth, and see if he's trustworthy.

 

“I've been kept here my whole life. You're one of the first people I've ever met.” Nico's eyes widened in disbelief.

 

“Are you serious?” He asked, “You've never stepped foot outside these walls?” Will shook his head. “Wow. How old are you?”

 

“I don't know.” Will shrugged “My captor never told me when my birthday was, or how long I've been here. But my guess would be around 19 or 20.”

 

Nico hummed in thought, but didn't say anything else on the matter.

 

The sun was setting outside the window, and Will wondered when the boy was going to leave. He obviously thought the people after him were still around. Which gave Will an idea.

 

“Do you think you're going to be able to leave any time soon?” He asked innocently. Nico frowned at the question.

 

“I don't think so. Is my presence bothering you?”

 

Will chuckled, before answering, “No, quite the opposite. I want to make you a deal.”

 

“What kind of deal?” Nico sounded confused.

 

“I'll let you stay here for the night, if you take me to this Kingdom you speak of.” Will couldn't help feeling a spark of excitement even speaking the words. He'd been dreaming of freedom his whole life. And now Nico had come along, somehow unlocking the door of his tower. He could leave, right now if he wanted to.

 

“I don't get it, why don't you just leave now?” Nico asked. Will snorted in derision at the question.

 

“Do you think I know anything about the outside world? I'd be hopelessly lost in no time. I definitely wouldn't survive on my own.”

 

Nico didn't speak for a while, probably thinking about his options.

 

“So, what do you say? Will you be my guide?” Will prompted, trying not to jump up and down in anticipation.

 

“I'm trying to figure out if you're too much trouble than you're worth.” Nico said honestly.

 

“I am almost certainly more trouble than I'm worth.” Will replied, smiling brightly. Nico rolled his eyes, and sighed.

 

“Fine. I'll take you to the kingdom. I'll show you how to be a functioning member of society, then we'll go our separate ways. Deal?”

 

Will nodded enthusiastically. He was _finally_ getting out of here!

 

Then, Nico did something very odd. He held his right hand out in front of him, and then waited, as if he was expecting Will to do the same thing. Seeing his confused expression, Nico went on the explain what a 'hand shake' was, and how people used it when making deals, or in some cases, greeting each other. Will could already tell he was going to find the outside world very strange. After the hand shake, he proceeded to show Nico to the spare bedroom.

 

“It used to belong to the nanny that looked after me when I was younger.” Will explained, pulling spare sheets out of the closet.

 

“I was wondering about how you'd survived as a kid” Nico told him, as they began making the bed together. “Is the nanny the only other person you've ever met?”

 

Will thought carefully before answering. “There have been a few others. But I'd appreciate it if we don't talk about that.”

 

“Sure.” Nico told him, shrugging. They continued making the bed in a comfortable silence. When it was done, Will bid Nico a good night, then made his way to his own bedroom.

 

There was no way Will was going to sleep anytime soon. He paced up and down his room, thinking about how drastically his life was about to change. He'd always lived in comfort in the tower, having food, water, clothes, and whatever else he desired. His captor always made sure he was happy enough, so he would sing for her.

 

But in the world outside his tower, he had nothing. He would need to get a job. The obvious choice was to become a doctor of some sort. But he knew all too well the dangers of drawing attention to his...abilities.

 

Sighing, he flopped down onto the bed. There was travelling to be done tomorrow, he needed to be well rested. After tossing and turning for a number of hours, Will finally drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

 


	3. Into the Unknown

The next morning, Will and Nico set off on their quest. Well, not right away. Nico insisted they have breakfast, and Will spent more time than was reasonable packing his things.

 

“What do you think I'll need?” He asked, running around, stuffing random items into his satchel, only to take them out again a few minutes later.

 

Nico shrugged. “A good pair of shoes.” He said with his mouth full of toast. Will wrinkled his nose, but didn't say anything.

 

Will ended up packing a few extra shirts, some snacks for the road, and his favourite book. There wasn't much else he would miss from this place.

 

They were finally ready to leave when Nico asked him the question he'd been dreading from the start.

 

“What did you do to end up trapped in here anyway?”

 

“I didn't _do_ anything, I was a baby.” He answered more sarcastically than he probably should have. Nico just raised his eyebrows. Will sighed, knowing that he'd have to tell the guy _something._ But who's to say he won't use Will's powers to his own advantage, just like his Captor did. “I have a certain skill that's quite...desirable. And that's the end of the conversation.”

 

Nico looked at him funny, but didn't say anything more on the subject. They started the decent down to the base of the tower in silence. Will was starting to get a little nervous at this point. He honestly had no idea what to expect. Adventure? Danger? Or boredom and monotony? Something told Will not to worry about the latter. He was sure wherever he would go, people would try and find him. It was a scary thought. Something he'd have to learn to deal with. But it would all be worth it, because he'd be free.

 

Stepping out of the door for the first time wasn't as dramatic as he'd always imagined it would be. The grass was soft under his feet. The breeze rustled his hair. The sun wasn't brighter. The was no singing or dancing. Will took a deep breath. It didn't smell different either. It was just...normal.

 

“You coming?” Nico asked, gesturing towards to trees. He nodded, following his guide into the unknown.

 

 

 

They walked for a while in silence. Will kept trying to look in all directions at the same time, not wanting to miss anything. But after seeing one tree, you've sort of seen them all. In other words, not as exciting as he'd hoped. The first time he spotted a squirrel though, that was dramatic.

 

“Oh my Gods” He whispered, freezing in place. The little furry creature was sat on a branch right in front of him, nibbling on something. Nico stopped walking to, looking at him with a concerned expression on his face.

 

“What's wrong?” He asked, looking around suspiciously. Will pointed at the fluffy thing.

 

“What is _that_?”

 

Nico looked at what he was pointing at, then back at Will, then back to the creature, before bursting out laughing. Will glared at him through his giggling.

 

“I'm sorry” The younger boy said, still trying to catch his breath. “It's just your face was priceless.”

 

“Well, what is it then?” Will asked snarkily. He didn't appreciate being laughed at. By that time, the animal had run off.

 

“It was a squirrel.” Nico said simply, and carried on walking through the trees.

 

“What does it do?” Will followed closely, not wanting to encounter anymore wild beasts without Nico's expertise.

 

“It doesn't _do_ anything.”

 

“So what it it for? Why does it exist?”

 

“It's just an animal Will, what does it matter?” Nico looked a bit annoyed at his questions.

 

It was stupid, Will told himself. He was having an existential crisis because of a tiny animal. But if that tiny animal didn't have a purpose in this world, what hope did he have? What in the world was he supposed to do with his freedom? It was a terrifying thought for Will. He'd never been given a choice about anything before, and now he had to plan his whole life. What had he been thinking?

 

He flopped down next to the tree the squirrel had abandoned, burying his face in his hands. “Maybe I should go back.”

 

“Are you serious?” Will looked up to see a very confused Nico staring at him. “Because of a _squirrel_?”

 

Will blinked at him for a second. “No.” He told his guide, “I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with my life. How am I supposed to survive in this world, when I don't know the first thing about it?”

 

Nico sat down beside him, taking out a canteen of water, sipping it thoughtfully.

 

“Honestly, that's how most people feel all the time. You better get used to it.”

 

“What do you mean?” Will asked.

 

“Look, not everyone lives in a tower, getting everything they need brought to them day and night. Out in the real world, we have to get by on our own. And it's terrifying most of the time, but it's just the way it is. Nobody can tell you how to live your own life. I'm not going to tell you to go back to your tower, or to come with me to the Kingdom. You have to decide for yourself.” The boy was speaking from experience, Will could tell.

 

“I don't want my first decision in life to be giving up my freedom again.” He finally said, getting back up from the ground. Nico nodded, also standing, and they began walking again. Will's mild freak out seemed to have passed for now.

 

“There's a tavern not far from here where we can get some lunch. I know the owner, so we shouldn't be bothered.”

 

“Okay,” Will agreed “Lead the way.”

 


	4. The Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't why, but I've lost all my motivation, so it's been quite difficult to write this past week or so. I'd like to thank Niki who suggested this in the comments. Enjoy!

“The Snuggly Duckling?” Will said sceptically looking at the sign advertising the Tavern. Nico just grinned and shrugged.

 

“The owner lost a bet” He said, as if that explained everything. Both boys made their way inside.

 

Will didn't know what to expect to be perfectly honest. He was pleasantly surprised entering the building, seeing the place was as homey and quaint on the inside, as it was outside. What really caught Will's attention though, were the people. The tavern was about half full of an assortment of people, dispersed in groups around the room. The atmosphere was light and friendly, though Will still felt nervous about being discovered by his captor's henchmen.

 

The two boys made their way to the bar, and sat on the stools. The barman, who was having a conversation with a woman not far away, looked up and smiled as soon as he saw Nico.

 

“The owner?” Will asked quietly. The man looked friendly enough. He was quite tall, with built muscles and blond hair. Nico nodded, waiting for the stranger to finish his conversation.

 

The guy came over a few minutes later, his smile sparkling in his electric blue eyes.

 

“Nico. Long time no see.” He then proceeded to ruffle the other boys hair. If looks could kill, the barman would be dead right now. Nico glared daggers at the man, who only grinned more. “Who's your _friend_?” he asked, directing his gaze to Will. He put emphasis on the word 'friend', like he was teasing Nico about something. Will gave the man a questioning look.

 

“This is Will.” Nico grunted. “Will, meet Jason.”

 

Jason held out his hand, just like Nico had done back in the tower. Will was immediately grateful Nico had taught him this particular custom beforehand.

 

“It's nice to meet you Will.” Jason said as they shook hands. “It's not often I see Nico with a _friend”_ He said 'friend' in the same teasing voice that he had before. Will chose to ignore it, thinking it was probably an inside joke of theirs.

 

“You too.” He said, trying to be polite.

 

“So what can I get you two?” Jason asked. Will looked at Nico, not quite sure what he was supposed to say. Nico just rolled his eyes, and ordered for them both.

 

“He seems nice.” Will said as soon as Jason disappeared into the kitchen. Nico grunted in agreement, but didn't say anything. Will was starting to get the impression his guide wasn't the most social person.

 

Will glanced around for something to do whilst waiting for their food. The other customers seemed to take no notice of them, much to his relief. A group of people were reading in one corner of the room. Another group seemed to be playing a card game, whilst others took bets on the out come. The most rowdy bunch were a group of women playing darts on the other side of the room. It was a very diverse range of people, and Will wondered what attracted them all to this particular tavern.

 

“How do you know Jason?” Will found himself asking. Nico didn't answer right away, so Will thought his question had been ignored.

 

“I know his boyfriend.” He answered eventually, not looking at Will.

 

“Boyfriend?” Will asked, confused.

 

“Yeah, you got a problem with that?” Nico said angrily, looking up at him. Will frowned, trying to make sense of the conversation.

 

“I don't understand.” He admitted “Jason has a...boyfriend? He's in love with a guy?”

 

Nico's expression turned from angry to suspicious to thoughtful in a matter of seconds.

 

“Yes” He said slowly “You've never heard about that before?”

 

Will shook his head. “I never knew that could happen. The only couples I've read about were men and women in relationships.”

 

Nico seemed to think about that for a second. “Okay, well for future reference, It's called being gay. Or homosexual, but that's usually used in a formal context.”

 

“Okay” Will said, still a little confused. “But what if you like boys and girls?”

 

“That's called being bisexual.” Nico informed him. “And if you just like the opposite sex it's called being straight.”

 

Will nodded, but didn't say anything. What did this make him then? He definitely liked boys. Nico was proof of that. But he wasn't sure about girls. He hadn't met any yet. Well, except his captor, but Will could never fell attracted to her. He shuddered just thinking about it.

 

“Why would I have a problem with it?” Will asked.

 

“What?” Nico looked confused.

 

“You asked if I have a problem with Jason having a boyfriend.” Will said thoughtfully, “I don't understand why it would be a problem.”

 

Nico looked at him weirdly for a second, before sighing. “Some people don't think it's... natural for two people of the same gender to be in a relationship. They think it's wrong, and shouldn't happen.”

 

“But if two people love each other, it's not wrong.” Will said, getting annoyed at the hypothetical people Nico was talking about.

 

The other boy smiled slightly, “I know, but some people are just dicks that don't want others to be happy.”

 

“They won't stop me from being happy.” Will muttered, and Nico's smile widened.

 

Before they could continue the conversation, their food arrived. It wasn't Jason delivering it though. The man standing in front of them had dark hair swept to one side, sea green eyes, and wore a huge grin on his face.

 

“Nico!” He exclaimed. As soon as he put his food down, he half dragged Nico over the bar, pulling him into a hug. “It's been too long. You should visit more.”

 

Nico, who was blushing lightly, settle back into his seat and ignored the last comment. “This is Will” He said instead, gesturing towards the blond. “Will this is Jason's boyfriend, Percy.”

 

Percy looked from Will to Nico, and back to Will again, before smirking. “It's nice to meet you Will.”

 

“You too. I just want you to know, I don't want to take away your happiness.” He told the man sincerely. He didn't want Percy or Jason to think he was a 'dick'.

 

Nico promptly burst into a fit of giggles.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Updates will not be regular, but when I find time, I will be returning to this. I love the idea too much to stop writing it.
> 
> Check out my tumblr: http://omfg-otp.tumblr.com/


End file.
